Gunman Wounds Security Guard At Family Research Council

A shooting occurred on Wednesday at the conservative Family Research Council’s headquarters, wounding a security guard in the arm. The suspect has been detained, but police have not released the identity of either the shooter or the victim. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said the man entered the building around 10:45 am and started shooting when the security guard asked him where he was going. A bomb squad has since entered the building. Fox News is claiming the gunman made statements about FRC’s policies before opening fire, but the FBI has said the shooter’s motives are not yet clear. FRC is a conservative Christian organization that considers homosexuality to be a sin.

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According to CNN, a law enforcement official described the suspect as a man in his late 20s and made unspecified comments about the Family Research Council before opening fire. The FBI is looking at motive and intent in order to determine whether or not this was an act of domestic terrorism.

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NBC reporter Jackie Benson tweeted that the FRC shooter, who has still not been named, was carrying Chik-Fil-A promotional materials and 2 loaded 15-round ammunition clips.

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DC police say the suspect is from Herndon, Virginia and was born in 1984. A witness to the arrest told NBC News the suspect was a 6’3 tall 250-pound black man.

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A growing coalition of LGBT equality organizations have issued a joint statement denouncing the shooting:

We were saddened to hear news of the shooting this morning at the offices of the Family Research Council. Our hearts go out to the shooting victim, his family, and his co-workers.

The motivation and circumstances behind today’s tragedy are still unknown, but regardless of what emerges as the reason for this shooting, we utterly reject and condemn such violence. We wish for a swift and complete recovery for the victim of this terrible incident.